Chapter 6

It was devastation across Neverwinter's cobblestone streets. The combined power of Gargana and her fellow demons, along with Brazer's horde, had lost many warriors, but at the same time, exhausted much of the city guard who had come out to face them.

All around Udeen, bodies of goblins, orcs, and men lay dead on the cold ground. Several feet away, the marilith stabbed all six of her weapons through one of the Neverwinter guards. She then set her eyes on the marshal and slithered towards her.

But then something happened that Gargana had not anticipated. A twelve foot man covered in plate armor appeared in front of Marshall Udeen.

Udeen looked around, seeing only four of her men. She called to fall back. Three of the men, who had finished killing a dretch and a couple of hobgoblins, raced to their commander, but one fell to the blades of two bugbears.

Gargana hissed in anger as she stabbed all six of her blades at the twelve foot armored man, who was known to the Udeen, and the few Helmites left in the city as the Guardian. The Guardian quickly drew his own sword and blocked all six of the demon's weapons. The Guardian then held his sword in the air and shouted words in what Udeen guessed was Celestial tongue. The marilith screamed as her body slowly faded away from the battle.

The surviving dretches Gargana had summoned vanished as well. The few orcs and bugbears huddled together and watched as Udeen held her sword in salute to the Guardian. The tall being looked down at the group of orcs and bugbears, and held his sword high in the air, which resulted with the enemies to flee for their lives.

Marshall Udeen looked back at her men. "Well boys, who wants orc and bugbear cutlets?"

Tanis, Kaylah, and Freya entered a large room. In the center of the room was a tall pedestal. Like the other rooms in Helm's Hold, the statues and paintings dedicated to Helm were now chipped and torn into ruin. The only distinguishable property they had, was the dark red eye painted on them.

After looking at the once beautiful statues of the Vigiliant One, Tanis watched a muscular orc walked to the center of the room. "So you are the intruders who walk into the temple of Grummsh," Brazer declared in a harsh voice. "Just as my men are crushing Neverwinter at this very moment, I will crush you."

Tanis drew his sword. He guessed the orc leader had no idea that a being called the Guardian was on his way to help Neverwinter. Freya held her axe, while Kaylah held her short swords at her side.

Brazer stepped towards Kaylah, twirling his double axe above his head. He then made a sweeping motion towards Kaylah's head, but the rogue ducked the axe and made two stabs with her blades. Brazer moved his weapon just in time to block both short swords. He then twirled his weapon in a full circle, both ends slashed the rogue in her face.

While Kaylah covered her face to stop the bleeding, Freya moved behind the orc in an attempt to slice her weapon through his back, an orc, who had been hiding, jumped from the shadows, landing on top of the halfling. Screaming in rage, the horde breaker rolled on top of the orc and began pummeling him.

Tanis and Brazer circled each other for a moment. The orc hated elves, and he would enjoy tearing this half breed apart. He easily deflected Tanis' long sword when the half elf slashed at his stomach, then spun the his double axe like a staff. The smooth side of the axe blade slapped Tanis hard in the face.

The half elf spat a little blood, then let out a gasp as the orc's axe came at him, cutting vertically across his chest. Brazer's axe didn't go through too deep, just enough to make it bleed and hurt like the Nine Hells.

Using his willpower to suppress the pain, Tanis sidestepped Brazer's next attack, then cut his long sword across Brazer's left shoulder. The orc stepped back, twirling his double axe above his head. This gave Tanis the opportunity he needed.

Before Brazer could bring his axe down to strike, the half elf lunged forward, driving his sword deeply into the orc's chest. Wasting no time, Tanis pulled his sword free, and blocked the orc's next attack. He spun right, leaving a hole in his defenses, but the orc leader was too slow to react. Then with one hard stroke of the blade, Tanis lobbed off Brazer's head.

Freya and Kaylah both stood up and looked at Tanis, who was breathing hard. The half elf stood over the corpse of his headless foe. "You can have the teeth and gold if you want Freya."

The halfling nodded, then walked over to Brazer. She eyed the orc's double axe and looked at Tanis. "Did you want his weapon?" she asked.

Tanis shook his head and smiled as Kaylah handed him another healing potion. "If you want it." The halfling smiled as she picked up the weapon. Both Tanis and Kaylah were surprised at how easily the horde breaker handled the weapon. She spun it around a few times, then sighed as she left her great axe next to Brazer's corpse.

Kaylah smiled at Tanis. "She looks good with the weapon," she remarked.

"She does," agreed Tanis as he smiled at her. It had been an interesting evening for Tanis Grey. The best thing about it all, was meeting new friends, especially Kaylah. He smiled at the rogue and she smiled at him.

The half elf had a slight feeling that this would be the first of many adventures together.